Oral Candida carriage of patients attending a dental clinic in Braga, Portugal

Background: The ability of the Candida species to colonize surfaces can be considered as a risk factor for oral infection. Aims: To establish oral Candid carriage in patients attending a dental clinic in Braga, Portugal. Methods: A total of 97 patients were analysed. Swab samples were collected and directly cultured onto CHROMagar Candida. Representative yeasts were identified by polymerase chain reaction. Results: From the samples analysed 54.6% (n=53) were Candida positive, and Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated species, accounting for 79% of all the species identified. Non-C. albicans Candida (NCAC) species recovered included Candida parapsilosis, Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, and Candida guilliermondii. There was a lack of association between the presence of C. albicans or NCAC species, and age, gender, or prostheses wearing in this population. In 17% of the cases (n=9), polyrnicrobial cultures, with two different Candida species, were identified. Conclusions: This study shows a high Candida carriage rate among this population, thus pointing to the relevance of an accurate diagnostic approach in Candida species identification. (c) 2010 Revista Iberoamericana de Micologia. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.